


🎵 Red Hood is coming (to) home 🎵

by Redzik



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bruce Wayne Being a Jerk, Dimension Travel, Jason Todd Deserves Better, Jason swears a lot, gen or pre-slash - your choice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:28:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28508946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Redzik/pseuds/Redzik
Summary: Something squeezed at Dick’s chest, the lump in his throat grew tight and his eyes burned. God, how much he loved him, would do anything to protect him, to keep him safe and happy. Jason went through so much. Too much. It wasn’t fair.
Relationships: Dick Grayson & Jason Todd
Comments: 3
Kudos: 116





	🎵 Red Hood is coming (to) home 🎵

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, although I got the idea for this fic before I watched _Death in the Family_ it still very much fits.  
> More at the end notes, but beware: **there will be spoilers for _Death in the Family_ interactive movie.**
> 
> Not beta-read. Al mistakes are mine. I wrote it whole practically in a day, so if there is something to correct just let mi know.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own any Batman series comic, animated film or otherwise. I'm just borrowing characters to play with.

On a rare night when war hatchets were buried, supervillains quiet in Arkham and patrol just a boring routine Dick and Jason found themselves at one of the many safehouses the Batfamily kept around Gotham, beers in hand and old tv shows reruns playing for distraction and entertainment.

One show over and commercials used for restocking in snacks and beverage, they settled for the next one. The usual few minutes of the episode started, keeping them guessing which show that was until the opening started to play for _Buffy the vampire slayer_.

“You were a vampire slayer too, you know?” Jason snorted.

“What?” Dick blinked at him. “What do you mean?”

Jason snorted again and took a swing from the bottle. Dick bit back a sigh and looked back to the tv. Typical Jason, making some remark that made sense only to him and unwilling to let anybody else in on the joke. Let anybody in period. And Dick got it. He really, really did. Jason was let down too many times by practically everyone he crossed a path with for him to trust easily. But Dick thought he was making progress. Did make progress, they were sitting together on a lumpy couch chilling after all. Just not enough, apparently.

“When I was multiverse hopping with Donna and Kyle,” Jason elaborated after a moment.

Dick stilled in surprise, listening intently. He vaguely recollected Donna mentioning something to that effect, but she didn’t offer any details and Dick didn’t ask.

“There was this world with vampires,” Jason continued. “The Big Bat was the leader or something and you were hell bent on killing him. You didn’t succeed, but yeah.” He shrugged.

Dick winced, but choose to focus on the positive. There were an actual vampires, and he was the vampire hunter. How cool was that?

“Awesome,” he breathed and took a risk. He turned his wide, awed eyes on his estranged brother and requested, “tell me more.”

And Jason did.

Later, Dick switched the tv off, carefully got up and stretched with a yawn. He looked down at the other end on the couch where Jason sat, propped on the arm and slumbering. Being as quiet as he could, he quickly cleaned up and grabbed a pillow and as many blankets as he could find.

Gently, he shook Jason’s shoulder to rouse him. His little brother blinked at him sleepily, grunting questioningly at him as opposed to coming wide awake and lunging for his throat to choke the life out of him. Dick swallowed past the sudden lump in his throat.

“Hey, Little Wing, let’s make you comfortable, yeah? Lay down,” he lightly pushed Jason into moving.

Jason went easily enough, stretching across the couch and grunting approvingly when his head hit the pillow. Dick covered him with a blanket. And another. And another. He didn’t want his little brother to get cold during his sleep, so he added another two blankets before deciding it would be an overkill to use the last two. He still left them on the table beside the couch just in case. He looked at Jason. He looked so young and peaceful. Something squeezed at Dick’s chest, the lump in his throat grew tight and his eyes burned. God, how much he loved him, would do anything to protect him, to keep him safe and happy. Jason went through so much. Too much. It wasn’t fair. And Dick tried so hard. Will try even harder to be a good brother to Jason, if he could have those fleeting moments. It just… It would be nice to have a confirmation he made even the tiniest bit of difference in Jason’s life. That Jason appreciated his efforts, not just suffered through Dick’s whims to have brotherly bonding time because it was expected of him. That Dick was making Jason’s life better somehow.

Dick wiped at his moist eyes with a sniff. He bend down to place a quick kiss on Jason’s crown and went to sleep. And wished.

And something answered.

Dick was falling. Falling though the endless blue vortex filled with various round like windows into other worlds and times displaying scenes like a movie. He turned his head around to take it in, recognizing a few moments here and there. Why was he being here? Was it a dream? Some kind of attack? He stiffened and looked around frantically. Where was Jason? Was he okay?

Searing pain whited out his vision (not a dream then) and he suddenly slammed into something hard and narrow. He shook his head with a groan and lifted his eyes to the white lenses in the red helmet staring at him. Oh great, so Dick had landed somewhere and definitely not in his own universe. He looked past frozen Red Hood and his pointed gun. They were on a construction site. The beams making metal skeleton of the building the only thing providing something to stand on. Or lay. Like Dick was doing. It was miracle he didn’t slid off. There was a slight noise behind him and in the next second Dick was flying through the air, before coming to a sudden stop on the rooftop of the building nearby. He rolled away from whoever grappled him there the moment they touched floor, head spinning. There were two more light thuds after, signaling more someones to potentially fight with, so Dick tried to get himself together.

“Hey, are you alright?” he heard a question with disturbingly familiar voice among the angry noises someone else was making.

Dick pushed himself onto his elbows, bad move as his left shoulder flared with pain, and looked at the person questioning him. It was himself in Nightwing suit he wore a few years back. And as he didn’t have any encounters with Red Hood while wearing it besides the very beginning of Jason’s career as an anti-hero, he was fairly sure he knew what time he was in, if this universe was similar to his.

Nightwing’s lenses widened and he took a startled step back as he saw Dick’s face.

Dick grimaced at him with an attempt of a smile and climbed to kneel on the roof. A few feet away Red Hood and Batman were locked in an aggressive staring down, tense and ready to tear at each other at a moment’s notice.

“He’s a civilian, that got hurt by you!” Batman growled. “You’re dangerous. You get people hurt or killed. I have to take you in.”

“He wasn’t supposed to be there!” Red Hood growled back. “And he’s hardly a civilian!”

Batman’s hand twitched towards batarang and Red Hood tightened his hold on the pistols. Oh hell no.

“I’m fine,” Dick called, struggling to his feet. The two vigilantes looked at him, momentary distracted from the confrontation. “I’ve had worse. Besides this was an accident.”

“Dick,” Red Hood warned as Dick made his way to stand between the Bat and Red Hood and leaned slightly into Red Hood’s warm body.

Dick smiled sunnily at him, marveling at the fact he could see straight into the eyes of the helmet instead of looking up. He didn’t even realize how much Jason grew since he came back to Gotham permanently not having any comparison from before until now.

“Wow,” Dick giggled. Giggled? Must be the blood loss. He felt kind of lightheaded. “You’re usually a head taller.”

“What?” someone asked from far away. Black spots appeared in his vision.

“Yeah,” Dick answered, feeling an arm grabbing at his waist as he swayed. “Universe hopping is a thing.”

There was a yell and hands grabbing at him more firmly and then only black.

Dick came to in the medbay in the Batcave with Alfred hovering over him.

“Welcome back, Master Richard,” the butler greeted him.

“Hey, Alfie,” Dick croaked out.

Alfred tutted and presented him with a straw attached to a cup of water. Dick eyed it warily. Should he drink or not?

“Go ahead,” an electronical voice encouraged.

Dick looked past Alfred and saw Red Hood leaning against the wall near the entrance. Nightwing was loitering outside the room, but close enough to have a view inside and block the doorway if someone attempted to leave. Not good.

Batman stood on the other side of the bed, glaring at Dick. Also not good. Oh well. Dick mentally shrugged and drank. Batman narrowed his eyes further. What was his problem anyway? That Dick trusted Red Hood more? He should start getting used to it, the asshole.

Dick glanced at Red Hood. He certainly wasn’t comfortable being in the Cave, especially with the exit blocked, despite the nonchalant posture. What even happened to get him here in the first place? Dick knew Jason didn’t like to be in his home, not former despite Jason insistence, especially back in this time. But he was here so Dick grabbed his chance.

“You should stay lying down for now,” Alfred stopped him from getting up. “You lost quite a lot of blood.”

Dick wisely surrendered, feeling dizzy just from that small movement. But there was still Red Hood, who was angry and lonely and sad.

“Hey Alfred, do me a favor, will you?” Dick asked. The butler had the best chance for not sending Jason running off out of all of them. “Give a hug to Red Hood for me?”

“What the fuck?!” Red Hood sputtered, straightening. “You fucking-”

“Language,” Alfred scolded.

“Sorry, Alfred,” Red Hood hunched sheepishly in reflex.

Alfred raised an eyebrow in surprise.

‘Trust me,’ Dick mouthed as the butler glanced back at him in question.

“Very well,” Alfred squared his shoulders.

“Alfred,” Batman growled.

“It’s quite alright, Master Bruce,” Alfred waved him off as he made his way over to Red Hood, who plastered himself to the wall. “I hope Mater Richard’s request doesn’t make you uncomfortable, Master Red Hood.”

“That fucking son of a-” Red Hood started.

“Language.”

“That _Dick_ is freaking insane.”

“Nevertheless he asked a favor of me and I intend to deliver.” Alfred raised his hands. “If you allow?”

“Yeah, whatever,” Red Hood huffed after a minute.

Alfred slowly wrapped his arms around the hulking, stiff form of the criminal. Was something meant to happen? What was Richard’s goal with this exercise? After a minute in Alfred was ready to pull away when he felt the body in his arms start to tremble. He heard barely there sniffle from under the helmet and his heart clenched for some reason.

“Oh my dear boy,” Alfred murmured, pulling Red Hood closer.

Hesitant hands wrapped around his back wrinkling the suit, but Alfred didn’t pay any attention to that, shocked by the quiet words Red Hood uttered wetly.

“I missed you, Al.”

Oh dear God, it wasn’t possible. Was it?

“Master Jason,” the butler tightened his hold with misted eyes.

Nightwing, who crept closer in case Red Hood attacked gasped, paling rapidly.

“Jason?” Nightwing strangled out with a desperate hope. “Jay?”

Batman froze.

Red Hood unburied his helmeted head from Alfred’s shoulder to glance over at Nightwing.

“Hi, Dickiebird.”

Nightwing made a hurt noise and barreled forward, almost toppling all of them to the floor with the force of his hug as he clutched at Red Hood’s back.

Dick smiled at them and then frowned at Batman. The vigilante was staring hard at the embracing trio, the slow downward movement of his mouth not boding well for the situation. But what was new? Bruce always had to butt in and ruin everything, every step they gained with Red Hood over the years. Dick was tired of picking up the pieces Bruce left behind, so he and the rest of his siblings tried to minimize Batman’s interactions with Red Hood. But here? Now? There was a chance to avoid years and years of anger and hurt and start healing. Bruce wasn’t allowed to destroy that. Dick moved just as Batman opened his mouth.

“Jason or not, he’s still a murderer, he-”

Whatever else Bruce might have said was interrupted by Dick’s fist in his face.

“He’s your fucking son, asshole,” Dick growled down at the stunned Bat on the floor. “Start acting like it.”

There was an appreciative whistle from the doorway.

“That was great!” the newcomer enthused.

“Hood!” Dick cried happily, clutching at the cot. He shouldn’t have moved so suddenly. The room was spinning slightly and his legs felt like jello. With his last strength he hopped slightly up to sit on the medical bed.

“Dick,” the Red Hood, taller version of the criminal still in Nightwing’s clutches but just in a domino mask, shook his head with a sigh.

"Come here, Little Wing," Dick made grabby hands at Jason. He needed to make sure he was okay and he wanted a hug on his own. It was torture being excluded from the awesome group hug he witnessed.

"Fuck, you're high, aren't you?" Jason smirked in amusement, but he walked within distance of the stretched arms. Immediately he was latched onto.

“Maybe,” Dick mumbled into the red bat on Jason’s chest.

Jason just sighed and picked Dick up, slinging him over his shoulder.

"Nooo, Little Wing!" Dick protested. "I want a hug! Put me down!"

"No. We have places to be. Your sappy ass caused an intergalactic crisis and now I have to stop the war. Again. Sorry for the interruption," Jason addressed this world’s occupants of the Cave as Dick beat weakly at his back whining about snuggles. "I'll take the idiot out of your hands. Cheers."

With that he walked out and disappeared in a flash of light.

“What the fuck?” Red Hood summed up everybody’s thoughts.

“Whatever,” Nightwing mumbled. “I’m not letting you go.”

“Neither am I,” Alfred vowed. “Welcome home, Master Jason.”

They were at the Watchtower, Dick recognized the floor pattern. Or the lack of thereof. Jason was still walking steadily, as if he was on a walk in the park and Dick weighed nothing. Maybe he didn’t to Jason, but the swaying wasn’t helping Dick any. He poked at Jason relentlessly.

“What!” Jason growled finally.

“Gonna throw up,” Dick said weakly.

“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Jason stopped and put Dick on his feet. Dick leaned against the wall, pressing his forehead into cool metal and breathed for a moment.

“Better?” Jason asked eventually.

“Yeah.”

Red Hood picked him back up, this time bridal style, and continued his journey.

“I love you, Jason,” Dick said, snuggled up in Jason’s arms. “You know that, right?”

“Yeah, Dick,” Jason replied softly, his grip on Dick’s body tightening. “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> First, before I forget: Hedgebelle and I came up with this during me writing :P
> 
> “He’s a civilian, that got hurt by you!” Batman barked. “You’re dangerous. You get people hurt or killed. I have to take you in.”  
> There was momentary silence.  
> “Batman, did you just-” Dick glanced at Red Hood. “Hood, you heard that, right?”  
> “Uh, B?” Nightwing ventured hesitantly. “Are you alright?”  
> “Maybe we should get him to Arkham,” Red Hood said cautiously edging away. “Get him checked.”  
> “No!” Batman woofed.  
> “What. The. Fuck,” Red Hood backed away further. “The Bat finally lost it.”
> 
> Apparently DC hates Jason. In every ending in the _Death in the Family_ Jason kills. Like in all seven (?) of them. Oh, sure Jason gets his happy ending with family in a few of them... eventually. But there's still the pain and hurt before it gets better. Why couldn't they just make Jason happy from the very beginning?  
> So, this was the vent fic. Because Jason deserves to be happy. Hopefully the 2021 will better for him. And for us.
> 
> Happy New Year. May the DC serve us with good and interesting stories instead the previous mess.


End file.
